Clearly you didn't read very carefully. Get off YOUR high horse try some reading comprehension classes. How is expressing my feelings of sadness for the whole situation constitute being on a high horse? I really don't get it.

Did I claim that his parents were 100% going to sue the state? Did I claim I knew that for a fact? Please point that out to me because I'm really curious. I said this as a way of illustrating my point that so many parents aren't teaching kids about responsibility nor taking seriously the responsibility of BEING parents, and are thereby fueling a culture of entitlement. Now, please read carefully, mkay - this is not a blanket statement, nor am I claiming scientific fact so don't take it personally. It is merely my reflection on what I witness on a very regular basis.

Lastly, I don't argue with your point about us looking back and reflecting on our stupidity. But this situation constitutes stronger language than "we've all made mistakes". Yes, we most certainly have. But there is a difference between doing something you regret where nobody was hurt, learning from it, and not doing it again. I for one never split a WRX in half and killed four of my buddies in the process. This is more than a simple mistake - it's criminal negligence, manslaughter... or however you want to define it, since I am not a lawyer. Maybe his defense attorney should use that line... "whaddya want, Judge? We've all made mistakes, right?"

Oh, and the car did belong to the driver, according to the New York Times article that I read this morning.

i fail to see the correlation between the parents suing the state and not teaching their child responsibility, it just seemed like crass statement to make with no basis of proof or justification to even say something like that.

and i'm not justifying his actions by saying "we were kids and did something stupid" i'm simply stating that we were all young once and have done stupid stuff that probably could have gotten us killed or in a lot of trouble. obviously what he did could have gone either way, he could have navigated that curve and no one would know the wiser but unfortunately he killed 4 people.

obviously he was a good kid otherwise his parents wouldn't have bought it, from what i remember the parents are either indian or guayanese which has very tight family upbringings and typically reward good grades with fancy toys. I know b/c lots of friends from high school got Benz's BMWs etc but were super smart, respectful and well rounded. did they do dumb sh*t in their cars? absolutely. but just b/c darwin won this one doesn't mean its any more relevant than any other rich kid that gets a fancy racecar and tries to show off

i fail to see the correlation between the parents suing the state and not teaching their child responsibility, it just seemed like crass statement to make with no basis of proof or justification to even say something like that.

My point is that parents themselves have no sense of responsibility, and thereby do not teach it to their children.

Remarking that they'd sue the state for a dangerous corner is my sarcastic way of assuming (and it's okay to assume when being sarcastic) they'll not accept the responsibility of making such a dumb move of buying their kid a 300hp car when he had no idea what he was doing.

It was a crass remark, not literal for god's sake, used to illustrate my point. Geeze. If you fail to see any correlation maybe it's because you don't want to. Let's carry on then.

Classicmotoringllc.com - my new brokerage and consulting business based out of a lavishly converted first floor bedroom in Allentown, PA. I am always looking for quality enthusiast cars to consign, research projects or consultation opportunities. Keep an eye on my page as you can see my blabberings about cars and other such junk in the blog section!

For many people, AWD provides a huge false sense of security. There are several people that I know who go on and on about their AWD car saying how safe it is and how good it handles. blah blah..

Not saying this was the cause, but many people get way too confident about their AWD cars. It is not a safety feature, but many people think it is and the car handles better with it. I admit, when I drive my wifes AWD SUV in the snow I get a little confident too, it's natural in a sense to think "this car can handle everything because its AWD" but many people don't realize they are just dead wrong.

And I also agree I am glad I had a slow car at 17 yrs old that provided no false sense of security. I had a 80 HP 85 Accord and I had no delusions of grandeur about it's abilities. If I had a 300 HP AWD car at that age, I might have fallen into the same trap too thinking the car will save my ass and can handle anything I throw at it.

My point is that parents themselves have no sense of responsibility, and thereby do not teach it to their children.

Remarking that they'd sue the state for a dangerous corner is my sarcastic way of assuming (and it's okay to assume when being sarcastic) they'll not accept the responsibility of making such a dumb move of buying their kid a 300hp car when he had no idea what he was doing.

It was a crass remark, not literal for god's sake, used to illustrate my point. Geeze. If you fail to see any correlation maybe it's because you don't want to. Let's carry on then.

Majority of parents today in their late 40s+with teenage kids have no clue what a WRX or STI is. When the teenager drags their parents to the showrooms. They see a 4 door hatch or sedan that looks like your typical import compact with a little flare like a hood scoop and wing. Then the teenager sells to the parents that is has "SUPER SAFE" AWD. They have no clue what the HP numbers mean since many cars like the Camry and Altima have over 200HP. It can't hurt to have 250HP+ amirite?

So the parents agreed that based on Subaru's safety awards, AWD safety, and resale values it's safe for the 17 year old to get a WRX for their 1st ride.

I have a strong suspicion the driver got over-confident in the rainy night trying to show off the AWD's wet weather prowess and ended up hitting into the tree.

Impossible. I remember many threads on TCL where people said that smoking pot actually makes you a better driver. They seemed pretty sure so it must be true.

Because sober people never crash cars.

Studies (Robbe and O'Hanlon (1993); Lamers and Ramaekers (1999); Hindrik, Robbe, and O'Hanlon (1999) -- Note that many of these people teach the Borkstien Course, which is who trains law enforcement on this stuff) have shown that there certainly is a safe level of marijuana in the system, just as there is a safe level of alcohol (and even meth). There's even some evidence to show that small levels can improve driving.

Of course, high levels will impair driving signifcantly, but generally not in the risk taking we see here. It doesn't mean that you won't take risks while high, but pot will not cause risk taking (unlike alcohol). However, yes, if you risk take, THC will reduce you ability to deal with it.

This is not to defend the driver or driving while high, but I'd rather avoid the trap of saying "well this was cause by marijuana" and wahsing out hands of the larger problem. Even if the driver was high, it isn't the sole cause. Driving like a jackass did.

My first car bought with my own money was a mk3 Gti vr6. I bought it fully modded. Camed full suspension work etc. It was a very fast car compared to what my friends were driving(civic, Sentra, corolla, subaru) I took it very easy for the first few months I had the car. Only when I got really comfortable did I start doing stupid shenanigans in it. I never wrecked it although I had some pretty close calls when the front sway bar snapped mid corner on a really tight exit ramp. I'm
Not much older now (21) but I've called down a lot driving. I wouldn't do half the things I did when I was younger even tho my skill has multiplied many times over. This generation is full of pot heads YOLO idiots. I see this on a weekly basis in the car community in ny.

Not much older now (21) but I've called down a lot driving. I wouldn't do half the things I did when I was younger even tho my skill has multiplied many times over. This generation is full of pot heads YOLO idiots. I see this on a weekly basis in the car community in ny.

Hate to break this too you, but teenagers were totaling cars and killing themselves back when your father was a twinkle in your grandfather's eye.

Hate to break this too you, but teenagers were totaling cars and killing themselves back when your father was a twinkle in your grandfather's eye.

I completely understand that. I'm just comparing today's 16-18 olds to when I was that age. Out of all my friends who are car guys, not one got in a wreck or did drugs or even thought about screwing up their privilege of having their car taken away or wrecked. Maybe it's just my circle of friends..

I completely understand that. I'm just comparing today's 16-18 olds to when I was that age. Out of all my friends who are car guys, not one got in a wreck or did drugs or even thought about screwing up their privilege of having their car taken away or wrecked. Maybe it's just my circle of friends..

It was just your circle of friends. I promise.
The car full of kids killing themselves right before graduation while hooning or street racing was a cliche in the 60s.

That means everyone else was high. No way in hell the driver was the only one that got high and everyone else was sober

I thought it was a bit strange as well but maybe, because the driver lived and went straight to the hospital, they were able to test him quicker. Who knows ... I wasn't there so I'm not going to speculate, just sharing what the news was reporting. Tragic story regardless.

I thought it was a bit strange as well but maybe, because the driver lived and went straight to the hospital, they were able to test him quicker. Who knows ... I wasn't there so I'm not going to speculate, just sharing what the news was reporting. Tragic story regardless.

I don't know police procedure well enough to know if there's any reason to test the passengers. They're dead after all. The driver is a different story. He's already responsible. Things are going to be different for young Mr. Beer if he was driving under the influence.

Originally Posted by apizzaparty

never thought once to use my lefty for the brake. sorry in my opinion it is dumb.

He knew he shouldn't have been driving out past 9PM, without a parent/license carrying adult over 21
He knew that car was fast, why else would someone want one of those ugly things?
He knew he shouldn't have had other people in the car with him.
He knew he was going to be driving fast.
He pretty much said "hey guys, let me put a gun to your head and see what happens when I pull the trigger!"

Now, that may seem a little harsh. Well, maybe drop it down to manslaughter at least.

Also, WTF were his parents THINKING??

Kid: Mom, Dad, I want a 300hp AWD rally-inspired car for my learners permit.. it's AWD! So safe! It only goes 160MPH tops, don't worry! With so much HP, I can go 0-60 on the highway on ramp in under 5 seconds! Safe merging, too!

Mom: AWD IS SO SAFE IN THE WINTER! And merging is so difficult without flooring it and banging gears! Crazy drivers these days.

Dad: Alright, listen to your Mom, so will I, because I want to get laid.. So, here's my credit card!

Son: You guys are the best! Can I drive without you guys in the car? I read on the internet I could if my car is a STi - it stands for "Safe Transport, indeed", so you don't need an instructor of any sort!

Mom: No, dear, I have a better idea! You should pack it full of all of your friends and show them how good it does at high speeds because of AWD!

Dad: Well, if it's on the internet, it must be true.. Do what your mother says.

Moral of the story is: Kid should do BIG jail time, and he will have to live knowing he killed 4 of his friends for the rest of his life.

It is probably manslaughter. Jail time will depend on whether he was intoxicated.

I'm not sure what putting a teenager in prison for more than a few years is going to accomplish. Excepting Hogan's kid, in a situation like this, there is little punishment we can probably give for this worse than the knowledge you killed your friend (This is not an argument for no jail).

Owned a WRX prior to my GC8 and an STi back in 2007ish for about 6 months ... my GTI cost more than either of them. It largely depends on where you live, but suburban Cleveland was dirt cheap to insure.

I paid $145/month for my STI, $135/month for my WRX, $100/month for my GC8 and my GTI VR6 was $155/month.

This is all with $300k/$100k/$300k limits and $1000 collision and $250 comprehensive deductibles. I also have a very "unclean" record.

Might have had to do with the GTI being a Hatchback and having 6 cylinders as opposed to I'm guessing a sedan body and 5 cylinders. Regardless of turbocharging or actual horsepower, rates are based more off body style and cylnders. Thats why a 5cyl 2.5 jetta costs more to insure than a 2.0t jetta

Last edited by kt883; 10-10-2012 at 12:45 AM.

This isn't your normal skyline. This motherfcker is the skyline God would drive if he wasn't busy doing God sh*t like making tsunamis and crap. Its set up to go fast, and go fast sideways. Who doesn't like to get sideway?! Terrorists, thats who. Are you a terrorist? No? Then you need this car.